Washford
Encyclopedia
Washford is a small village on the Washford River in the English
county of Somerset
. It is within the civil parish
of Old Cleeve
and is best known as the site of Cleeve Abbey
, one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries
in England. It is located on the A39 road
7 miles (11.3 km) east of the resort town of Minehead
and 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the port of Watchet
.
Administratively, Washford forms part of the civil parish
of Old Cleeve
, a village situated 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north-west. The parish falls within the West Somerset
local government district
and the Somerset shire county. Administrative tasks are shared between county, district and parish councils.
Washford is the site of Washford station
on the West Somerset Railway
, a steam
-operated heritage railway
. The station is the home of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust and contains a number of historic artefacts from the Somerset and Dorset Railway.
Washford is since 1933 location of a broadcasting station
. In the old transmitter building, there is a radio museum.
Washford has a primary school, Old Cleeve C of E School, which currently educates 100 three to nine year old children. Washford has few shops, including a Post Office and a hairdresser.
There are two pubs in the village of Washford, which are the Washford Inn and the White Horse Inn, which is a free house. Both offer accommodation.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. It is within the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Old Cleeve
Old Cleeve
Old Cleeve is a village and civil parish south east of Minehead in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. The civil parish of Old Cleeve covers an area of and includes the villages of Blue Anchor, Roadwater and Washford as well as hamlets such as Bilbrook, Chapel Cleeve, Golsoncott and...
and is best known as the site of Cleeve Abbey
Cleeve Abbey
Cleeve Abbey is a medieval monastery located near the village of Washford, in Somerset, England. The abbey was founded in the late twelfth century as a house for monks of the austere Cistercian order. Over its 350-year monastic history Cleeve was undistinguished amongst the abbeys of its order,...
, one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in England. It is located on the A39 road
A39 road
The A39 is an A road in south west England. It runs south-west from Bath in Somerset through Wells, Glastonbury, Street and Bridgwater. It then follows the north coast of Somerset and Devon through Williton, Minehead, Porlock, Lynmouth, Barnstaple, Bideford, Stratton, Camelford, Wadebridge and St...
7 miles (11.3 km) east of the resort town of Minehead
Minehead
Minehead is a coastal town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It lies on the south bank of the Bristol Channel, north-west of the county town of Taunton, from the border with the county of Devon and in proximity of the Exmoor National Park...
and 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the port of Watchet
Watchet
Watchet is a harbour town and civil parish in the English county of Somerset, with an approximate population of 4,400. It is situated west of Bridgwater, north-west of Taunton, and east of Minehead. The parish includes the hamlet of Beggearn Huish...
.
Administratively, Washford forms part of the civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Old Cleeve
Old Cleeve
Old Cleeve is a village and civil parish south east of Minehead in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England. The civil parish of Old Cleeve covers an area of and includes the villages of Blue Anchor, Roadwater and Washford as well as hamlets such as Bilbrook, Chapel Cleeve, Golsoncott and...
, a village situated 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north-west. The parish falls within the West Somerset
West Somerset
West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covers a largely rural area, with a population of 35,075 in an area of ....
local government district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
and the Somerset shire county. Administrative tasks are shared between county, district and parish councils.
Washford is the site of Washford station
Washford railway station
Washford railway station is a station on the West Somerset Railway, a heritage railway in England. The station is situated in the village of Washford, which is itself within the civil parish of Old Cleeve in the county of Somerset.-History:...
on the West Somerset Railway
West Somerset Railway
The West Somerset Railway is a railway line that originally linked and in Somerset, England.It opened in 1862 and was extended from Watchet to by the Minehead Railway in 1874. Although just a single track, improvements were needed in the first half of the twentieth century to accommodate the...
, a steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
-operated heritage railway
Heritage railway
thumb|right|the Historical [[Khyber train safari|Khyber Railway]] goes through the [[Khyber Pass]], [[Pakistan]]A heritage railway , preserved railway , tourist railway , or tourist railroad is a railway that is run as a tourist attraction, in some cases by volunteers, and...
. The station is the home of the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust and contains a number of historic artefacts from the Somerset and Dorset Railway.
Washford is since 1933 location of a broadcasting station
Washford transmitting station
Washford transmitting station is a medium wave broadcasting station near Washford, Somerset, UK. It was built in 1933 and uses as antenna a T-antenna between two 152 metre-tall guyed masts separated by a distance of 159 metres...
. In the old transmitter building, there is a radio museum.
Washford has a primary school, Old Cleeve C of E School, which currently educates 100 three to nine year old children. Washford has few shops, including a Post Office and a hairdresser.
There are two pubs in the village of Washford, which are the Washford Inn and the White Horse Inn, which is a free house. Both offer accommodation.